I recently had the pleasure of collaborating with Malka Rodal, aka The Organized Fairy, who, with the blink of an eye like Barbara Eden in I Dream of Jeannie, turned my kitchen pantry from a cluttered mess into beautiful rows of labeled bins and canisters.
Malka has been organizing for 9 years, since she was pregnant with her first child. She started by helping friends clean out closets and cupboards, and with the encouragement of her sister, turned her talent into a profession. She has always loved organizing, a habit that started as one of 14 children growing up in Toronto, Canada. What provokes anxiety in others, she can see the end result.
Malka organizes everything from kitchens, garages, pantries, bedrooms, bathrooms, and children’s playrooms. She is also working with a local school to start a program teaching children how to organize in the classroom. In organizing backpacks, desks and play areas, the children seem to function better when their surroundings are tidy. “They thrive. They just don’t know how to organize….you have to teach them.”
We started by taking everything out of the pantry and spreading it around us on tables and chairs. This part was a bit embarrassing, finding half eaten granola bars, Halloween candy from 2 years ago that is now petrified, random lids that fell behind the shelving that I was convinced my kids had long ago thrown away. Next, we placed everything into categories: pasta, grains, spreads, crackers, oils & vinegars, jars & condiments, nuts & seeds, baking, and snacks. The Container Store came to the rescue, with a variety of bins and canisters to put some order to the madness.
I asked Malka for some advice on how to start organizing. “It is always good to start on a smaller project so it doesn’t get overwhelming. Make an appointment with yourself, or ask a friend to be there with you. Set a timer and try to work for an hour before taking a break.” She added that to accomplish a goal it would take a minimum of two hours. Case in point: in two hours, we finished my pantry. What’s more, after two hours, you may be inspired and say, “I want more of my house to look like this”. I know I did…next project will be to organize the children’s closets! Where will you start? xoM
You can reach Malka at 917-346-6384, or check out her IG profile at https://www.instagram.com/theorganizedfairy/. She starts every project with a ½ hour consultation that costs $30. If you book a project with her, the $30 will go towards the total cost of the project, for which she charges an hourly rate of $50. Malka’s responsibilities also include shopping for containers and running trips to consignment shops and/or donation centers. She is running a promotion: if you purchase 4 hours, get the 5th hour FREE…just mention MARCI.
All photos taken by Marci Symington for texAZtaste.com. This was a collaboration with Malka Rodal, the Organized Fairy, who donated her time and boundless energy.
